wreck

Log This Dive

GRIPFAST

The SS Gripfast is, for our money, one of the more underrated deep wrecks in the UK. This merchant vessel went down in 1942 after an aerial attack, and she now rests upright, mostly intact, at a respectable 40 metres. You’ll often find decent visibility down here, certainly better than some of the shallower sites, making for some dramatic views as the wreck slowly materialises out of the green. Her holds are accessible for experienced wreck divers, offering some fantastic penetration opportunities, but even if you just stick to the superstructure, there’s plenty to explore. We love the bridge area, it feels particularly poignant down there, a real sense of history. The Gripfast is absolutely blanketed in plumose anemones, their white tentacles swaying gently in the current, creating a stark, almost ghostly contrast against the dark steel. Look closer, and you’ll spot conger eels poking their heads out from every nook and cranny, along with the usual suspects of wrasse and pollock darting through the skeletal remains of the ship. This isn’t a dive for beginners, but if you’re comfortable at depth and keen for a proper wreck dive, the Gripfast delivers.